00:00:06
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave from News Talk zed Be.
00:00:13
Speaker 2: The All Black squad for the greatest rivalry Tour of South Africa has been announced. Three uncapped players headline the forty four strong squad, Mawana Pacifica and Southland number eight Samisi Tuportelau Wellington and Hurricanes Propsy Ali Lake and Taranaki and soon to be Highlander's first five Josh Jacob. The remaining seven new faces are all previous All Blacks Olin Norris, George Ball, Fabian Holland, Ethan Blackadder to Mothi Tava, Tava Nahwai, ricco Jiwani and Imori Narada. They joined the thirty four initially selected for July. It's also been confirmed that Ardi Savie will only arrive on the tour ahead of the first Test on the twenty third of August. To talk this through, we're joined by All Blacks assistant coach Tana Umaga. Tana, thanks for your time tonight as a coaching group. What were you looking for as you extended the squad from thirty four to forty four?
00:01:12
Speaker 3: Yeh know, it's it's probably around balance of our squad. You know, what do we need to you know, to fulfill having enough players that cover enough positions to get through those first three games as well as you know, prepare for test matches, you know, while also rewarding players for their their form in super rugby. I think that's something that you know, David Sectors have always been big on well also, you know, I think just making sure that we that balance piece was I know a big part of it.
00:02:00
Speaker 2: Three uncapped players have earned their first All Blacks call up, you know, submissie to poor Tail probably better than most having coached him at w Wana. How much did Dave Renny tap into your insight with the selection?
00:02:14
Speaker 3: Yeah, obviously we discussed him quite a bit and you know, and then as you do, they did their own homework around things that we were looking for in the skill sets that he has, you know, and I'm sure they've discussed that. All the selectors had that discussion and it was just he brings a dynamic that we don't necessarily have within our group at the moment. You know, and out eight that carries strong, is very physical, has a high work rate and you know, has a big future in front of him, and so you know, just get that balancing act around making sure that we've got players that will bring something that we know we need against the South Africans.
00:03:02
Speaker 2: What sort of person, what sort of character is Samosi? Insider a team environment? And what is what does he like to coach.
00:03:11
Speaker 3: Well inside of an environment? He has deep care for his environments. You know, he's very competitive. He understands, you know the purpose of of what he does and why he does and why he plays the game. You know, he knows what's important to him. And he's as I said, he's really competitive, but he's also he wants to learn and he picks up things very quickly. I've just been obviously I've had a couple of years with him now and been really impressed with just his his rugby IQ for a young man. And you know, again he asks, he asks a lot of himself, which also you know, he makes sure he asks those questions of others around him. And like I said, he's very competitive, so you know, which is always a good thing when you're a young person coming through. But he's willing to work hard. He's shown that he you know, he's consistent in his performances and you know how he gets through his work you know, and like for us, I just think he's a great story in terms of he missed out you know on a few teams and he took an opportunity with with Nwana as we took an opportunity with him, and he's just made every every post win it and that's just come through as hard work and the support he has from his family.
00:04:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a cool story, all right. So what the new guys have come and not just the debutantes but the team you've brought in, is the expectation they will genuinely push for test selection or is this to it for some of them more about exposing them to the all blacks environment.
00:04:53
Speaker 3: Well, look, i'd like to think that again, that these opportunities, you know, for them to keep pushing their cases forward, and that's what we want. We don't want playersters to come here and be happy to be a you know, those lead up games or and that's that's enough. Obviously, some guys will have to you know, show a bit about themselves. And you know, I think it's around those those moments that they get because you know, a lot who knows how many minutes they'll get, but it's just not counting those minutes. It's actually making every minute count that you get on the field and you you're on the training field and everything you do around, you know, everyone's watching it, and they need to make sure that you know you are you with are you someone that puts in all the time or just when you know people are watching you know, So for all these guys, you know, these opportunities for them going forward, because if you're in here, then there's opportunities because you know, injuries happen, you know, as we know, you know, those happen all the time. So making sure that you develop enough debt and that these guys, you know, these are the ten guys that have got that opportunity on this tour. But there's also you know, some really quality players that didn't get get selected. And I know that they'll be breathing down their neck because you know, because they didn't get selected.
00:06:18
Speaker 2: The blueprint of this all Black side under Dave and he's coaching and with you as his assistants, has been to play high tempo, lots of ambition, lots of optimism. That word gets used a lot. Does that philosophy become more challenging in South Africa? Tana or are you determined to keep backing that as the All Blacks playing style.
00:06:38
Speaker 3: I think once you started on that trajectory and you know that you have to keep going with it. You know, like it's what we've you know, what we're stated and what we trained, so you know you've got to keep pushing those those boundaries and keep pres of airing I believe, and you know, we've got a group of guys that really want to play that kind of rugby and we just need to. We just know that we need to be at our best once we get to South Africa, and because you know, we know that Sydney waiting for us and looking at us and you know, very confident in terms of knocking us over. So you know, we just got to handle what happens in our camp be the best at it, and like it is a style of rugby that's attractive, but you know it means that we've got to be very good at our detail and very good at the fundamentals of the game.
00:07:35
Speaker 2: From a coaching perspective, how different is this challenge going to be as well? That you and that you play four tests and so you do have the opportunity to adapt to them as they do to you from week to week. How different will that challenge be?
00:07:49
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it's obviously something I haven't done time across before in my coaching career. So you know, every week, as you said, you know, apart from that after the first test when we have a midweek game, then we're just preparing for test matches and as you said, making little tweaks or little things that you have to either improve or making sure that you know, you keep getting. You want to keep going and keep them, keep them strong because we know that we are. Week's a long time in rugby in terms of you know, how you can change tactics and how you can adapt to you know, what you've seen the week before. So you know, it's an interesting kind of environment that we'll be in. And yeah, it'll just you know, probably unfold once we go through it. But no, I'm looking forward to that and you know, hopefully you know, we can be a bit innovative around you.
00:08:54
Speaker 2: Know what we do there Just to finish then, I mean, this is the All Blacks. You want to win every week. Obviously you want to win the series, but what other objectives are there on this too? Building depth for example up in combinations, answering some key selection questions out of the World Cup. Are those things important to over the next sort of six to eight weeks.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: Yeah, one hundred percent. You know everything you send there jas around all those things are important for us. You know, always on the horizon. You've got to look at the big picture, which is you know, their World Cup and next year we don't. It's not that we don't look towards making sure that we get success in all the matches that we play in South Africa, but you know, there are some bigger things that play for us around growing depth and watching at around who we are and you know, this is what we do and this is what we this is you know what we want or how we want to be perceived by our public and you know the our country that we represent, and so you know that those things are really important for us too. And then you know we can develop that while they're away and also hopefully that's what people get to see.
00:10:13
Speaker 2: Exciting times ahead for you and for All Blacks fans. Travel well, Tanner, thanks so much for the chat tonight. Thank you, Thank you, Tana. Tana whomong of their assistant coach with the All Blacks I mean the surprises and the squad. No fourth half back Noah Hotham, who started for the All Blacks against South Africa in September of last year, is now not in the top three half backs. There's clearly a feeling in the All Blacks that they can get through the early games on this tour, the so called midweek games without running cam roy Gard into the ground, because he is going to start all four Test matches, so they'll use I mean, he'll play one of those opening three matches. I would say cam Roygard stormers Sharks balls, but only one and I think the other two Rotima and Preston will share the duties across the remainder. Adding a fourth first five and Josh Jacob. I'm not sure too many saw that coming. Cool moment though, for him to be included and still young enough to make a mark in a Black jersey when you consider the age of the others. Take Ruben Love out of it, Boden Barrett, Damien McKenzie returning, Richie moor Wonga. You know they're a lot older than Josh Jacob. But I was interested to see another first five added when one of them, Boden Barrett hasn't even been able to get on the field in the Nation's championship, so another one edit. Although Damien McKenzie is in that group and he's a fallback, isn't he. Congrats also to young prop Cili Lowaki for his maiden call up. Great to see him there and it's obvious Dave Rennie loves burg bodies, burg big bodies and his four packs specifically is loose forwards, which has led to this selection of Samisi tupor Ta your Law. He's the real bolt of really, I'm not sure too many were picking him after Super Rugby. He's a massive, massive man, huge man and was a standout in a mediocre Mowana side this season. Has something that the All Blacks don't currently have. A berg Ball carrying number eight. Ethan Blackadder was a surprise to me. I must say, not because he's not a good player. He is real workhorse, but I wasn't sure he was on the radar. I just thought his ship might have sailed. But here he is. Like many of the extra ten who have been called in on top of the thirty four who were already there. I wouldn't imagine that someone like Ethan Blackaddam will play the Test matches. Same goes for the likes of Olie Norris, e Morning Nadawa, Josh Jacob to Marthy taviatav and Ay George Bell. I'm not sure they will play a big part of the Test matches, if at all, They'll probably be more like midweek players. Fabi and Holland, on the other hand, going to go straight back into the Test side if he gets enough minutes in the warm up games, especially if they continue with two porvajats, because then they can name two loose forwards on the bench. And just a word on duplus Cordifi, I understand the rationale Dave Rennie has given when asked about duplasy Correfi, he talked about a couple of things. He talked about how all of us loose forwards can play in more than one position and duplas Codifi is a seven and only a seven and has mentioned Dave Rennie wants big, big bodies and Khalifi isn't the biggest man physically, but just because you can play seven doesn't mean you're the best seven and against everyone else in the squad, duplasit corref he was more than big enough during Super Rugby and heart as much as in body. He was one of the best players and the best team in the comp I just hope we haven't seen the last of them in a black jersey.
00:13:59
Speaker 1: For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk said B from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave from News Talk zed Be.
00:00:13
Speaker 2: The All Black squad for the greatest rivalry Tour of South Africa has been announced. Three uncapped players headline the forty four strong squad, Mawana Pacifica and Southland number eight Samisi Tuportelau Wellington and Hurricanes Propsy Ali Lake and Taranaki and soon to be Highlander's first five Josh Jacob. The remaining seven new faces are all previous All Blacks Olin Norris, George Ball, Fabian Holland, Ethan Blackadder to Mothi Tava, Tava Nahwai, ricco Jiwani and Imori Narada. They joined the thirty four initially selected for July. It's also been confirmed that Ardi Savie will only arrive on the tour ahead of the first Test on the twenty third of August. To talk this through, we're joined by All Blacks assistant coach Tana Umaga. Tana, thanks for your time tonight as a coaching group. What were you looking for as you extended the squad from thirty four to forty four?
00:01:12
Speaker 3: Yeh know, it's it's probably around balance of our squad. You know, what do we need to you know, to fulfill having enough players that cover enough positions to get through those first three games as well as you know, prepare for test matches, you know, while also rewarding players for their their form in super rugby. I think that's something that you know, David Sectors have always been big on well also, you know, I think just making sure that we that balance piece was I know a big part of it.
00:02:00
Speaker 2: Three uncapped players have earned their first All Blacks call up, you know, submissie to poor Tail probably better than most having coached him at w Wana. How much did Dave Renny tap into your insight with the selection?
00:02:14
Speaker 3: Yeah, obviously we discussed him quite a bit and you know, and then as you do, they did their own homework around things that we were looking for in the skill sets that he has, you know, and I'm sure they've discussed that. All the selectors had that discussion and it was just he brings a dynamic that we don't necessarily have within our group at the moment. You know, and out eight that carries strong, is very physical, has a high work rate and you know, has a big future in front of him, and so you know, just get that balancing act around making sure that we've got players that will bring something that we know we need against the South Africans.
00:03:02
Speaker 2: What sort of person, what sort of character is Samosi? Insider a team environment? And what is what does he like to coach.
00:03:11
Speaker 3: Well inside of an environment? He has deep care for his environments. You know, he's very competitive. He understands, you know the purpose of of what he does and why he does and why he plays the game. You know, he knows what's important to him. And he's as I said, he's really competitive, but he's also he wants to learn and he picks up things very quickly. I've just been obviously I've had a couple of years with him now and been really impressed with just his his rugby IQ for a young man. And you know, again he asks, he asks a lot of himself, which also you know, he makes sure he asks those questions of others around him. And like I said, he's very competitive, so you know, which is always a good thing when you're a young person coming through. But he's willing to work hard. He's shown that he you know, he's consistent in his performances and you know how he gets through his work you know, and like for us, I just think he's a great story in terms of he missed out you know on a few teams and he took an opportunity with with Nwana as we took an opportunity with him, and he's just made every every post win it and that's just come through as hard work and the support he has from his family.
00:04:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a cool story, all right. So what the new guys have come and not just the debutantes but the team you've brought in, is the expectation they will genuinely push for test selection or is this to it for some of them more about exposing them to the all blacks environment.
00:04:53
Speaker 3: Well, look, i'd like to think that again, that these opportunities, you know, for them to keep pushing their cases forward, and that's what we want. We don't want playersters to come here and be happy to be a you know, those lead up games or and that's that's enough. Obviously, some guys will have to you know, show a bit about themselves. And you know, I think it's around those those moments that they get because you know, a lot who knows how many minutes they'll get, but it's just not counting those minutes. It's actually making every minute count that you get on the field and you you're on the training field and everything you do around, you know, everyone's watching it, and they need to make sure that you know you are you with are you someone that puts in all the time or just when you know people are watching you know, So for all these guys, you know, these opportunities for them going forward, because if you're in here, then there's opportunities because you know, injuries happen, you know, as we know, you know, those happen all the time. So making sure that you develop enough debt and that these guys, you know, these are the ten guys that have got that opportunity on this tour. But there's also you know, some really quality players that didn't get get selected. And I know that they'll be breathing down their neck because you know, because they didn't get selected.
00:06:18
Speaker 2: The blueprint of this all Black side under Dave and he's coaching and with you as his assistants, has been to play high tempo, lots of ambition, lots of optimism. That word gets used a lot. Does that philosophy become more challenging in South Africa? Tana or are you determined to keep backing that as the All Blacks playing style.
00:06:38
Speaker 3: I think once you started on that trajectory and you know that you have to keep going with it. You know, like it's what we've you know, what we're stated and what we trained, so you know you've got to keep pushing those those boundaries and keep pres of airing I believe, and you know, we've got a group of guys that really want to play that kind of rugby and we just need to. We just know that we need to be at our best once we get to South Africa, and because you know, we know that Sydney waiting for us and looking at us and you know, very confident in terms of knocking us over. So you know, we just got to handle what happens in our camp be the best at it, and like it is a style of rugby that's attractive, but you know it means that we've got to be very good at our detail and very good at the fundamentals of the game.
00:07:35
Speaker 2: From a coaching perspective, how different is this challenge going to be as well? That you and that you play four tests and so you do have the opportunity to adapt to them as they do to you from week to week. How different will that challenge be?
00:07:49
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it's obviously something I haven't done time across before in my coaching career. So you know, every week, as you said, you know, apart from that after the first test when we have a midweek game, then we're just preparing for test matches and as you said, making little tweaks or little things that you have to either improve or making sure that you know, you keep getting. You want to keep going and keep them, keep them strong because we know that we are. Week's a long time in rugby in terms of you know, how you can change tactics and how you can adapt to you know, what you've seen the week before. So you know, it's an interesting kind of environment that we'll be in. And yeah, it'll just you know, probably unfold once we go through it. But no, I'm looking forward to that and you know, hopefully you know, we can be a bit innovative around you.
00:08:54
Speaker 2: Know what we do there Just to finish then, I mean, this is the All Blacks. You want to win every week. Obviously you want to win the series, but what other objectives are there on this too? Building depth for example up in combinations, answering some key selection questions out of the World Cup. Are those things important to over the next sort of six to eight weeks.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: Yeah, one hundred percent. You know everything you send there jas around all those things are important for us. You know, always on the horizon. You've got to look at the big picture, which is you know, their World Cup and next year we don't. It's not that we don't look towards making sure that we get success in all the matches that we play in South Africa, but you know, there are some bigger things that play for us around growing depth and watching at around who we are and you know, this is what we do and this is what we this is you know what we want or how we want to be perceived by our public and you know the our country that we represent, and so you know that those things are really important for us too. And then you know we can develop that while they're away and also hopefully that's what people get to see.
00:10:13
Speaker 2: Exciting times ahead for you and for All Blacks fans. Travel well, Tanner, thanks so much for the chat tonight. Thank you, Thank you, Tana. Tana whomong of their assistant coach with the All Blacks I mean the surprises and the squad. No fourth half back Noah Hotham, who started for the All Blacks against South Africa in September of last year, is now not in the top three half backs. There's clearly a feeling in the All Blacks that they can get through the early games on this tour, the so called midweek games without running cam roy Gard into the ground, because he is going to start all four Test matches, so they'll use I mean, he'll play one of those opening three matches. I would say cam Roygard stormers Sharks balls, but only one and I think the other two Rotima and Preston will share the duties across the remainder. Adding a fourth first five and Josh Jacob. I'm not sure too many saw that coming. Cool moment though, for him to be included and still young enough to make a mark in a Black jersey when you consider the age of the others. Take Ruben Love out of it, Boden Barrett, Damien McKenzie returning, Richie moor Wonga. You know they're a lot older than Josh Jacob. But I was interested to see another first five added when one of them, Boden Barrett hasn't even been able to get on the field in the Nation's championship, so another one edit. Although Damien McKenzie is in that group and he's a fallback, isn't he. Congrats also to young prop Cili Lowaki for his maiden call up. Great to see him there and it's obvious Dave Rennie loves burg bodies, burg big bodies and his four packs specifically is loose forwards, which has led to this selection of Samisi tupor Ta your Law. He's the real bolt of really, I'm not sure too many were picking him after Super Rugby. He's a massive, massive man, huge man and was a standout in a mediocre Mowana side this season. Has something that the All Blacks don't currently have. A berg Ball carrying number eight. Ethan Blackadder was a surprise to me. I must say, not because he's not a good player. He is real workhorse, but I wasn't sure he was on the radar. I just thought his ship might have sailed. But here he is. Like many of the extra ten who have been called in on top of the thirty four who were already there. I wouldn't imagine that someone like Ethan Blackaddam will play the Test matches. Same goes for the likes of Olie Norris, e Morning Nadawa, Josh Jacob to Marthy taviatav and Ay George Bell. I'm not sure they will play a big part of the Test matches, if at all, They'll probably be more like midweek players. Fabi and Holland, on the other hand, going to go straight back into the Test side if he gets enough minutes in the warm up games, especially if they continue with two porvajats, because then they can name two loose forwards on the bench. And just a word on duplus Cordifi, I understand the rationale Dave Rennie has given when asked about duplasy Correfi, he talked about a couple of things. He talked about how all of us loose forwards can play in more than one position and duplas Codifi is a seven and only a seven and has mentioned Dave Rennie wants big, big bodies and Khalifi isn't the biggest man physically, but just because you can play seven doesn't mean you're the best seven and against everyone else in the squad, duplasit corref he was more than big enough during Super Rugby and heart as much as in body. He was one of the best players and the best team in the comp I just hope we haven't seen the last of them in a black jersey.
00:13:59
Speaker 1: For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk said B from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
